Books, authors and all things bookish

Studs Terkel, weekend book festivals and other literary news

October 31, 2008 | 3:32
pm

Studs Terkel has died at 96 at home in Chicago. The author-actor-radio host was an outspoken advocate for liberal causes: "I signed many petitions that were for unfashionable causes and never retracted," he once said. His oral history "Division Street: America" was a 1967 bestseller; his (probable) last, "P.S.: Further Thoughts from a Lifetime of Listening" is due out this year.

In San Francisco, the Alternative Press Expo and JCC BookFest will provide literary respite from the Halloween-heavy weekend. Highlights include Etgar Keret at the latter and graphic novelist Chris Ware being interviewed by Eli Horowitz from McSweeney's at the former.